Palantir AI probe leads to Met Police volunteer chief's dismissal - BBC News
The Metropolitan Police has fired the head of its Special Constabulary after Palantir's AI monitoring uncovered that he had used his work phone to copy intimate images of a woman.
Special Chief Officer James Deller, who led the force's volunteer officers, was dismissed following a misconduct hearing on Friday.
According to the Met, investigators utilized lawful business monitoring and Palantir's Foundry system—which leverages artificial intelligence (AI)—to uncover the misconduct by Deller.
Cdr Pete Stevens stated: "SCO Deller failed to meet that bar. His actions were an abuse of the trust put in him and it is right that he is no longer able to serve in policing."
Investigators discovered that during July and August 2025, Deller employed his police-issued phone to capture photos of two intimate images sent to his personal phone via WhatsApp's "view once" feature. He subsequently sent the copied images back to his personal device before deleting them from his work phone.
The misconduct was uncovered during a week-long operation dubbed Project Galatasaray, which employed the AI technology in an attempt to identify corruption and professional misconduct within the Met.
Deller will be added to the College of Policing's barred list, preventing him from ever serving in policing again.
Stevens added: "The vast majority of Met officers and staff serve London with dedication and integrity... Robust action against the small minority who abuse their position and undermine public trust is particularly crucial."
Relevant Background:
In April, the Metropolitan Police Federation advised officers to exercise extreme caution regarding the use of Met-issued devices while off duty after the force upgraded its Lawful Business Monitoring software. This upgrade seemingly marked Palantir's first deployment to monitor Met systems.
In May, Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes assured the London Assembly’s Police and Crime Committee that officers were not subject to any "additional surveillance in the workplace" following the implementation of AI aimed at rooting out misconduct among officers. He acknowledged that the use of this "divisive" technology raised reputational concerns but highlighted its effectiveness in identifying "unacceptable, dishonest, corrosive behaviors."
The London Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (Mopac) blocked the Met from signing a two-year contract with Palantir to provide AI technology for criminal investigations. Mopac cited the force's failure to present a procurement strategy as a "clear and serious breach" of procedure.
Palantir is now suing Mopac, contending that it illegally thwarted the deal after considering the company’s "values and ethics," which they maintained was an “irrelevant” factor in the procurement process.